Best Gifts
by K.M. Redselig
Summary: The monsters experience their first Christmas on the surface, giving each other very special, very hi-tech, gifts. Mirth ensues.


Best Gifts

by K.M. Redselig

Summary: The monsters experience their first holiday season on the surface, giving each other very special gifts. Mirth ensues.

* * *

In Sans' new house, several monsters had gathered around the Christmas tree. Cookies had been laid out and holiday music was playing on a wireless speaker from a live stream. Compared to the humans, the holiday music was new to them, as it was their first Christmas on the surface.

They had familiarized themselves with the food and the different human traditions this time of year. But now it was time for the fun part.

"I got the best present ever!" Monster Kid beamed with pride. "Of course, I had to get mine early. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to hand everyone else their gifts like I am now!"

Using his newly-manufactured bionic arms, he passed presents around the room. "This one's for you, Sans. Though honestly, instead of just playing with toys, you should try getting something like these!"

"nah, i don't need any of that fancy stuff. leave my bones alone." Sans gently tore the paper off, grinning. He knew this gift was coming. He patted the box in his lap, the image of a helicopter-like device printed on the top. "tell me about the new arms, kid."

Monster Kid looked up. "Oh, these?" He flexed them, the gun metal alloy only barely reflecting the lights from the Christmas tree. "They're like, super advanced I guess. They like, took all my measurements, and then put all the information into a computer, and had 'em ready in a week. I hear that next year, I'll even be able to get upgrades!" He raised his fists up like a boxer, making a few mock jabs in the air. "Isn't it the coolest present ever?"

Sans grinned. "they are cool. i bet someday you could join the arm-y."

Monster Kid stopped and frowned. "Come on, Sans!"

Alphys glanced over at Sans. "W-what is that, Sans?"

"oh, it's nothing."

Alphys frowned. "Come on, tell me!"

"alright, alright. look. it's a drone. i'd tell you more about it, but i think it would be over your head." He grinned and looked over the specs some more. Not just any drone. This was a custom unit. Complete with sonar, thermal imaging cameras, a GPS uplink, limited AI and language synthesis capabilities, and interchangeable accessories, it was controllable via an app on his smartphone and could even operate autonomously in some cases. Built to military specifications, it could take quite a beating. He would have to go over and pester Frisk with it soon.

Sans turned to Papyrus. "thanks bro."

"YOU'RE WELCOME! I LOVE GETTING YOU PRESENTS YOU SAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET!"

Undyne grabbed her box, quickly shredding the wrapping paper. She set her defeated opponent, her present, down triumphantly. She looked more triumphant, even excited, as she looked over the virtual reality headset printed on the box.

Alphys smiled. "See Undyne, I know you like video games and all, and..."

"This is awesome! Thanks Alphys!" Undyne quickly opened the box, pulling the headset from its styrofoam shield. She put it on, the plastic wrapping still covering it. Still in the box were a variety of hand-held devices that would function as swords, machine guns, and other items in-game. She pulled out a few of them and held them in the air. "Just call me... CyberDyne!"

Alphys looked at her blankly.

Undyne grinned. "Enough about mine. Go on, open yours Alphys."

Alphys picked up her present. She oofed, struggling to hold it. Monster Kid quickly ran over to assist her. "Allow me!"

Using his new arms, he moved the box over onto the floor where Alphys could easily get to it. Alphys pored over it nervously.

"Uh... Undyne?"

"Yes?"

"Uhh... I mean... these weren't the anime figurines I was sorta interested in, are they?"

Undyne thought. "Well... sort of!"

"Cause I mean... if they are, it sounds like there's a lot in there. The box is uhh... it's really heavy. And if that's what it is, then, well... I mean, you didn't have to get me so many-"

Undyne huffed. "Just open it!"

Alphys eeped. "Okay..." Tentatively, she pulled away the wrapping paper. The box did not indicate anything about anime figurines. Instead, there was an image of an elaborate-looking device on the front.

Alphys tilted her head. "W... what is it?"

Undyne beamed. "It's a 3D printer! You kept telling me about the anime figurines, right? Well, I got you a printer so you could make them yourself!"

Alphys stared at the box. After several seconds, she let out a soft "oh." A smile slowly spread across her mouth. "That's... that's a great idea! And... and I can make any figure?"

"Sure! You just have to go online and download them. And then you can make them however you want. You can make them big or small, or make blank ones so you can paint them yourself." She scooted next to Alphys. "See... I *could* have just got you the figurines. But doing it this way, the sky's the limit!"

Alphys held her hands up to her chest. Her face was flushed. "Oh my..."

Papyrus tore into his box. "SANS... I'M SURE WHATEVER IS IN THIS WILL MAKE ME HAPPY! MAYBE NOT AS HAPPY AS YOUR PRESENT MAKES YOU! BUT THAT'S OKAY! SINCE I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, GOT YOU YOUR PRESENT, YOU WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO TOP MINE!"

"whatcha got there, bro?"

"IT'S... IT'S..." Papyrus held up the microwave-sized box, looking over it. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! TELL ME WHAT IT IS!"

"well... it's a food synthesizer, bro. it'll make any kind of food you want. just stick a recipe into it, and out it'll come in about five minutes."

Papyrus stared at the box. "OH! IT'LL MAKE ANYTHING? EVEN SPAGHETTI?"

"yup. spaghetti. meatballs. sauce. you name it."

Papyrus scratched his head. "BUT... WAIT A MINUTE. WHAT ABOUT MY OWN SPECIAL PREPARATION?"

"just write up the recipe and stick it in there. it'll be ready in no time."

"SO THAT MEANS... I CAN MAKE MY OWN PAPYRUS-BRAND SPAGHETTI. AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO CLEAN UP ANYMORE! THAT FREES ME UP TO DO OTHER EXCELLENT THINGS!"

Sans nodded. "you got that right."

"TECHNOLOGY IS AWESOME!" He gave his brother a big awkward hug.

The wrapping paper crinkled as the monsters shoved it aside, glancing over their gifts and chatting with each other.

Alphys looked up. "This is, uh... this is really great and all. I just feel, uhh... it's kinda too bad Frisk couldn't make it."

Undyne looked over. "He's with Asriel, isn't he?"

Alphys chuckled. "Y-yeah... I think they wanted to go look at the lights or something. And it was supposed to be clear out so they could see the stars too. Uh... I forget what they were doing, actually. They talked like they might come over later though."

Undyne pursed her lips. "I'll give them both a nice present. I'll wrap a nice box, and I'll box their ears with it!"

* * *

Sitting in an open field, Frisk and Asriel looked over the horizon at the brilliantly-decorated houses. Automated hover vehicles hummed along the streets slowly while the passengers looked at them. The houses were brightly-lit, but far enough away so that the light did not diminish the appearance of the stars in the sky. Asriel looked over them, his breath visible in the air.

"This is kinda pretty. I like the lights and everything."

"Yeah."

A few moments went by. A gentle wind blew over the field. Asriel pulled his coat tighter around himself. He turned to look at Frisk.

"Frisk... you kept asking me what I wanted, and all that."

"Yeah?"

"Well... I can't think of anything." He glanced down awkwardly. "Can you think of anything you want?"

"No."

Asriel huffed, a large cloud rising in the cold air. "You're no help."

"I know."

They continued looking at the houses, and at the sky.

"But I mean... I get to be your friend and all. That's a really nice gift."

"Ditto."

Asriel smiled slightly. He leaned into his friend, giving him a hug. Then he relaxed his grip, continuing to look upwards.

"Frisk... do you think that humans and monsters will live together okay?"

"They are so far."

"Yeah..." He smiled. "I like spending time with you, Frisk." He then glanced around. "Uh... maybe we should go to where they're having the Christmas party. Don't you think?"

"In a little bit."

Asriel looked up at the stars. As he watched a shooting star, Frisk slipped quietly away, moving several yards behind him. He knelt down, scooping up some snow into a ball.

"Hey Asriel," he called across the field.

Asriel blinked and turned his head. "What?"

Frisk smiled. "Heads up."


End file.
